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March Break vacationers will miss their chance to voice their opinion on the Algonquin land claim.

And many aren't happy about it.

Bill Houlder is convinced the Algonquin land claim is being rushed through.

“Why else would they have the public consultation during the March Break?”

Houlder first heard the news last month during an invite-only meeting organized by the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs and lead negotiators.

He was among more than 75 people who were shocked to hear that the date for public review of the preliminary draft agreement-in-principal for the Algonquin land claim was slated for the March Break.

More than 80% of those in attendance said they were not available during this time.

The Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs confirmed the time this week. No changes were made.

“It's really an odd time to select a time,” Houlder said Thursday.

“It would seem rational that if more than half of the people aren't going to be there they would select another time,” he said.

“I understand people are busy and so are politicians. But can't we have it a few weeks later? This is a 200-year-old land claim where negotiations have been ongoing for 20-years why are they trying to bang it through?

Houlder's backyard on Maple Road hinges on a section of Crown land the Algonquins are interested in acquiring in East Ferris.

The Ontario Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs website indicates the land claim is based on the assertion that the Algonquins never entered into a treaty with the Crown and that they have surrendered Aboriginal rights and title to 36,000 square kilometres of eastern Ontario. There's an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 Algonquins in the claim territory, with at least 3,000 in the North Bay and Mattawa areas.

The entire land claim includes nine million acres, populated by more than 1.2 million people within the Ontario portion of the Ottawa and Mattawa River water-sheds. Some of that land identified in the claim is located in East Ferris, including Long Lake and Camp Island.

Durga Thiru, senior issues coordinator Issues Management and Media Relations for the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, said public information sessions will be attended by all three negotiating parties — Canada, Ontario and the Algonquins of Ontario.

“As such, the dates and times of the public information sessions had to be agreed upon by all three parties and were subject to the availability of the negotiators,” she said via email.

“We publicly committed to hold public information sessions in early 2013 — the dates selected are the earliest that the meetings could be held with the negotiators present. This is in keeping with our commitment to transparency and public consultation with the release of the Preliminary Draft Agreement-In-Principal.”

Thiru said Ontario negotiation team members have been meeting directly with individuals who have existing legal interests on the potential settlement land selections that are identified in the materials recently released to the public. These meetings continue.

“The public information sessions are only one initiative among many with respect to the Algonquin land claim negotiations.”

Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli is also urging planned meetings next month to be rescheduled.

Fedeli sent a letter to land claim negotiators on the matter.

“If you’re trying to limit feedback, or stifle potential dissent, then this is when you schedule the meetings for,” Fedeli stated. “The negotiators should consider moving the meetings to a different week to allow for the best possible turnout and to give everyone a chance to provide input.”

Fedeli said he has had productive meetings with Algonquin Chief Clifford Bastien in Mattawa regarding the parcels of land affected by the claim in Nipissing.

“I believe we have a common purpose when it comes to protection of Camp Island. I will continue to push for Camp Island to be excluded from the claim.”

Full information about the Preliminary Draft Agreement-in-Principle is available on-line at Ontario.ca/Algonquinlandclaim or by contacting the Ontario Information Centre at 613-732-8081 toll-free at 855-690-7070.